All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony is just 48 hours away from joining James Harden and becoming an official member of the Houston Rockets.
Anthony, who last played for Oklahoma was traded by Thunder to the Atlanta Hawks earlier this month as part of a three-team deal involving Dennis Schroder. According to multiple sources, Anthony has already reached a buyout with the Hawks and is expected to join the Rockets later this week.
The Hawks waived Anthony on Monday morning and is set to clear the waivers on Wednesday at 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Aside from Anthony, the Hawks also received a 2022 first-round pick from the Thunder and Justin Anderson from the Philadelphia 76ers. On the other hand, the Thunder acquired Schroder and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot while the 76ers received Mike Muscala from the Hawks.
The 33-year-old superstar has reportedly been working out with Harden and Rockets star Chris Paul. He also met with general manager Daryl Morey and head coach Mike D'Antoni in Las Vegas during the summer league.
Prior to committing with the Rockets, Anthony also considered signing with the Miami Heat. Anthony, who averaged a career-low of 16.2 points last season, helped the Thunder finished fourth in the Western Conference with a 48-34 win-loss card. However, the team failed to go deep in the playoffs after being eliminated in the first round by the Utah Jazz.
Great Addition For The Rockets
The Rockets have been discussing the chance of adding Anthony to their team with Harden, saying that they are hoping that they can get the best out of the veteran scorer. The Rockets are hoping to bounce back next season after losing to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals last season.
NBC Sports journalist Dane Carbaugh that the acquisition of Anthony is an experiment for an offensive juggernaut such as the Rockets. Earlier this season, the Rockets suffered major blows after losing Trevor Ariza to the Phoenix Suns and Luc Mbah a Moute to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Anthony Wants A Hawks Jersey
Although Anthony has never suited up in Atlanta, the former Thunder forward is still hoping to get his hands on a Hawks jersey with his name on it. Anthony received $27.9 million after being waived by the Hawks.
Anthony's actions drew comparisons to Rasheed Wallace, who once played for the Hawks in 2004 before being dealt with the Detroit Pistons. It can be brought to mind that Wallace was a member of the Hawks organization for 10 days in February before being traded to the Motor City.
Photo: Keith Allison | Flickr
© Copyright 2024 Sports World News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
